The Digital Library for Earth Systems Education now has a site that can act as a gateway to thousands of Earth Science web sites that provide educational materials from school to professional level (www.dlese.org) .  There is a comprehensive range of topics, and a potentially useful enhancement is part which announces conferences and discussion groups.

Devonian art

The Devonian Period witnessed sudden diversification of vertebrate animals, including the first amphibians.  The oceans were teeming with other life forms.  Museums have for a long while commissioned artists to create dioramas of ancient seas that express part of their diversity.  Using gaming software, British artist Christian Darkin is in the process of developing an interactive Devonian diorama, eventually intended for museum use.  His work in progress can be viewed at   www.geocities.com/christiandarki/fish.htm .  You will need the Macromedia Shockwave plug in, downloadable direct from Darkin’s site, and a higher speed connection than with a normal modem.  However, the experience is dramatic and informative.